Timing device



Jan. 15, 1929.

W. H. RODEFELD ET AL TIMING DEVICE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 g'wuwnfozl mniwm IROJ d, EdwmnlERoclefe 1:1.

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Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

. WILLIAM H. RODEFELD AND EDWARD F.

ARODEFELD, or RICHMOND, INDIANA, AS-

SIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10 OSHKOSH AUTOMOTIVE PROD- uc'rs COMPANY, or osnxosn, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION.

TIMING DEVICE.

Application filed February 27, 1924.. .Seria1 No. 695,460,

. The object of our present invention, broadly speaking, is to provide a timing device which is simple in' character, positive in action, light in Weight, easily operated and controlled, affording a maximum of efficiency in practice, andwhich can be manufactured,,sold and installed ata comparatively low price.

'More specifically stated, our object is to provide an electric timing device for automobile motors or-the like,-by means of which an engine is timed to fire in proper sequence, with proper electrical potential provided progressively to cause proper. ignition in the various cylinders, which inthis instance we will assume tobe four; in number. .,Various other objects ahdpartichlar advantages of our invention will suggest-theme selves in the course of the followingdescription, and that which is newwill be correlated inthe claims. i

, The proposed means for carrying out the principles of our invention in a practical manner is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which w I Figure'l is a perspective view offthe body or'case assembly. Figure'Q, is a plan view,

showing the interior of the case assembly,

- and with the brush assembly in operative 30 position in connection therewith. I Figure 3 is a perspective view of the brush assembly alone. Figure is a centralcross-section taken through the case assembly alone. Figure 5 is a central cross section of the case assembly, showing the brush assembly in connection therewith, and showing other parts to which thecase assembly and the brush assembly are connected. Figure 6 is an outside plan view ofthe closed end of the case assembly Figure 7 is an endelevation of the brush holder without the brush, showing an end of the'shaft on which the holder 'is secured. Figure 8'is aperspective view of the brush alone. And Figure 9'is a longitudi- .n'al centralsection of the brush. 7 p

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views. In order that the construction, the operation, andthe several advantages of the invention may be more fully understood-and appreciated, .we will now .take. up a detailed description, thereof, .in -which we will set forth thesame as comprej'hensively as; Wev may. 7

The invention comprises three distinct groups of elements: The; case assembly; the brush assembly,- and the supporting members, which for convenience we will describe 1n reverse order. s t The supporting members includes the moor shown. The shaft B which protrudes from the side or face of the casing A, and it operates revolvably in any well known manner. In the side of the casing A a 'circular. indentation G is formed concentric with the shaft B. For they purpose hereinafter shown the outer. portion of the shaft B is formed Wlllll. a; shoulder m, and anutD is threaded on the outer end of said shaft. Letter E designates a spring-arm, one end of which is secured'to the casing A, while the other or free end is adapted to retain our device in operative position, as hereinafter set forth. The brush. assembly comprises a hubv l, which is adapted to fit the outer end portion of the shaft B, whereit is. retained by the nut l: by which itis made tight against the shouler the hub 1 to receive apin 3 into 'the'shaft at the proper point to properly retain the hub in position; I

Formed integral with said hub, and curving toward each other from two opposite sides of the hub, are the arms 4 and 4, whose freeterminals are directedtoward each other a short distance to one side of the hub, the endsof said arms being in the nature of jaws, as shown, and for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Extending out from the central por tion of the hub and located midway of. the arms, is a round boss 5 around which may fit" the inner. end of the helical spring 6., f v 1 w The brush proper is in the nature of a block having aconvex face 7, and on the opposite side therefrom a concave face 8, both of which faces e xtend longitudinally ofthe brush and substantially parallel with each other. Extending into. and'through' the center of the face .7," parallel with the hub, is the channel 9. vThe sides 10 and-11 of the brush are 'parallelwith eachother and they connect the faces. '7, andc8, .being' at right-angles thereto.

The ends of-the brush are formed each with a pocket, 12 and 13 respectively, to receive the aws or free ends of the arms 4:. and 4:,

as shown; Said pockets are each formed by twoside flanges and -a base flange, the latter casing A, a portion only ofwhich is :12. A notch2 is formed in the end of I ward, thereby causing the jaws of said arms p to enter the socket 14, with the inner end of- H 1 is adapted to which it fits.

to enter their respective pockets 12 and 13 until the said jaws engage with the base flanges of said pockets. While in thislatter position the spring 6 may be compressed and inserted between the hub and the face 8, thereby causing the outer end of the sprlng the spring located around the boss 5. Said spring is of such tension as to keep the brush outward to its limit, but permitting it to 'be pressed inward against the resiliency of the spring,for the purpose hereinafter made apparent.

The case assembly comprises a metal cupshaped member or shell 15, with its larger and open end terminating in a flange 16 which rotate inithedepression C in The outer closed end of the shell is provided with asmall socket 17 concentric with the shaft B, in which rests the knob e carried by the arm E, whereby the shell'is retainedin rotatable contact with said depression C of the motor. An arm 18 projects from the shell 15, which is integral therewith, to provide means whereby the shell may be manually, or otherwise rotated to adjusting the timing. j

Formed around on the inner periphery of the shell is a circular raceway which is divided by equally spaced notches 19, 20, 21 and 22 into (in this instance) four grounding contact faces 23, 24, 25 and 26, all of which are integral with the shell 15, and through it are electrically contacted with the'mot'or A, and'therefore grounded. Located in each of the notches 19, 20, 21 and 22 is an insulated cont-act 31, 32, 33 and. 34 respectively,that is they are insulated from the shell by the respective insulators 27, 28, 29 and 30. Integ ral with the respective contact members are the stems 35, 36, 37 and 38, which extend out through apertures therefor in the shell, being insulated therefrom by the insulators 3.9, 40, 41 and 42, respectively. Each of said stems is threaded'and provided with a nut,.43, 44, 45 and 46, respectively by which the respective members 31, 32, 33 and 34 are retained rigidly in position in their respective notches. And the outer end of each of said stems is provided with a knurled nut, 47,

48, 49 and 50, for retaining the respective wires 51, 52, 53 and 54, as hereinafter referred to.

' a The faces of the members31, 32, 33 and 34 are formed concave to correspond with the faces 23, 24, 25 and 26, and they are all in apart, whereby the said faces together form a complete circle on which may slide the face 7 of the brush, as shown in Fig.2.

Numeral 55 denotes simply a breathing aperture for the passage of air to and from the interior of the casing.

-In practice the interior of the casing, except said faces forming the raceway, 1s covered with insulatingmaterial, such as shellac or the like. 7

Operation:The operation of our device will nowbe fully comprehended, it being understood that the case assembly is relatively stationary, also that the wires 51, 52, 53 and 54 are insulated until each in turn is grounded through connection with. one of the faces 23, 24, 25 and 26, and therefore no spark will occur in the cylinders of the motor untilsuch grounding has been made. To effect such grounding progressively'and in proper time its cycle of rotation the brush will connect progressively each' of thesurfaces of the insulated contact members 31, 32, 33sand 34 with one of the grounded surfaces "23,

24, 25and 26. Therefore when the brush is in contact withone of grounding contact surfaces and with the surfaces of one of the insulated members at the same time then of course the wire leading from that particular insulated member will have a grounded'terminal', thereby causing a spark in the particular cylinder which that wire controls. V In other words, stated briefly, the device is primarily intended to progressively cause each of the insulated members, and therefore the wires 51, 52, 53 and 54, to be grounded, one ata time, during each cycle of the brush.

VVedesire' that it be understood that various changesinay be made in thevarious details of construction herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof which are new and useful and which involves invention.

Having nowfully shown and described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by said brush-holder and adapted to travel "in said raceway, said brush having a transversely divided face and with a pocket formed in each endof the brush, said pockets being formed each by side flanges and a base flange integral therewith, a spring disposed between said brush and a part of the brush holder to retain the brush in contact with said raceway and thereby cause the brush to follow irregularities in the surface of the raceway as it moves therearound, substantially as set forth.

2. A timing device including a one-piece brush member having a convex outer face di "ided by a transverse groove and having a concave inner surface with a depression in its center to provide a spring seat and having ends with a guide flange at each side of each end and a stop flange at the inner edge of each end thereof, all sustantially as set forth. 3. A timing device comprising a case, a circular raceway formed inside the case, stationary contacts located in the raceway and forming a part thereof, a brush-holder rotatably operative within and concentric with said raceway, a contact brush carried by said brush-holder and adapted to travel on said raceway, said brush being in the nature of a segmental block having a convex face on one side and a concave face on its other side with both of said faces extending longitudinally of the brush and substantially parallel with each other and connecting the two sides of the brush, there being a channel formed in the center of the convex face and extending the full length of the brush and connecting said sides, each of the ends of the brush being formed with two side flanges and a base flange whereby a pocket is formed in each end of the brush for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM H. RODEFELD.

EDWARD F. RODEFELD. 

